Harry and the Halfa year 1
by Ghostportal6786
Summary: Danny Fenton goes to Hogwarts. Takes place in the first book.
1. Chapter 1

Living with his ghost-obsessed parents since birth, Danny had to put up with their unique personalities that often traumatized him as well as contently listening, by force, to his parents ramble or instruct their children how numerous Fenton gadget work. However, this did nothing to stop Danny's curiosity that one day changed his life forever. While in his parents' Laboratory Danny had an accident involving the newly built Fenton portal, causing his molecular structure to infuse with ectoplasm. As a result, Danny become a half-human, Half-ghost hybrid; he styles himself as a new persona as Danny Phantom, an extraordinary spectral superhero with a ghostly array of other-worldly powers; able to shift between his human-half and ghost-half at will, coming into a number of various extraordinary abilities.

The Fenton's had moved to England when Danny was seven. At school he was constantly picked on. He hadn't made one friend since they moved. Every day he would come home with bruises from the school bullies. Because his parents were hardly around Danny was really close to his sister, Jazz. Despite being close to Jazz, Danny didn't tell her when he got his ghost powers, at least not right away. When he was 8 was when things started to change. After the lab accident that gave him his ghost powers strange things started happening that he didn't think had anything to do with his ghost powers. When he was nine and Jazz was eleven a strangely dressed man came to the house. He told them all about magic and said he was from a school called Hogwarts, that Danny and Jazz were invited to attend. Unfortunately for Danny, he had to wait till he was eleven. After Jazz left for Hogwarts, Danny would write to her almost every day. Two years later he got his letter. He ripped it open and read,

Hogwarts School

Of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwunmp, International Confed. Of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Fenton,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins September 1st.

Yours sincerely,

 _Minerva Mcgonagall_

Minerva McGongall,

Deputy Headmistress

As soon as he finished reading the letter he grabbed it and ran downstairs. Once he got downstairs he saw that no one except Jazz was there. She turned around and smiled when she saw what he was holding.

"You got your letter" she says as she gives him a big hug.

He returns her hug and smiles. Danny lets go of Jazz and looks at the door down to the lab with an annoyed expression. He took a deep breath and looked away.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah, how are we getting there?"

"The train" Jazz says as she looks at Danny.

Once on the train they go a few stops before getting off. They then walk a few minutes before stopping at a building that read The Leaky Cauldron. Danny follows Jazz through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds. He watches as Jazz takes out her wand and starts tapping bricks.

"Ok, stand back, Danny"

Danny took a step back. Jazz tapped the wall three times with the point of her wand. The brick she had touched quivered-it wriggled-in the middle, a small hole appeared-it grew wider and wider-a second later they were facing an archway. An archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

"Welcome, to Diagon Alley"

Jazz grinned at Danny's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Danny looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall. The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Caldrons-All sizes-Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver-Self stirring-Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them.

"You'll need one but we have to get our money first"

Danny wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once.

"Gringotts" said Jazz.

They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was-

"That's a goblin, Jazz said quietly as they walked up the white stone steps towards him. The goblin was about the same height as Danny. He had a swarthy, cleaver face, a pointed beard and, Danny noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:

 _Enter, stranger, but take heed_

 _Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

 _For those who take, but do not earn,_

 _Must pay most dearly in their turn._

 _So if you seek beneath our floors_

 _A treasure that was never yours,_

 _Theif, you have been warned, beware_

 _Of finding more than treasure there._

A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Jazz and Danny made more the exchange counter. Once they exchanged there muggle money for wizard they left the bank.

"Might as well get your uniform, I will meet you in flourish and blotts when you're done" Jazz says as she hands him money for his uniform.

Danny entered Madam Malkins robe shop alone. Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Danny started to speak. Got the lot here- another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."

In the back of the shop, a boy Danny thought he'd never see again was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Danny on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length. He shut his eyes and tried to keep calm. After a few minutes Madam Malkin said he was done. He opened his eyes, paid for his robes, and ran out of the shop as fast as he could. Once outside he took a deep breath to calm down. He then goes to meet Jazz at Flourish and Blotts. It took Danny a few minutes to find her. After they got all their books they went to get Danny's cauldron, scales, and telescope. Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating if it wasn't for the horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Danny couldn't stand being in there for another second. He ran out and jazz got his potion ingredients. A few minutes later Jazz came out of the shop.

"Just your wand left"

The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Jazz sat on to wait.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Danny jumped and his eyes flashed neon green before going back to their normal icy blue. He was glad he was facing Jazz so no one else saw.

An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello, said Danny awkwardly.

"Which is your wand arm?"

"Well I'm right handed"

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Danny from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Danny suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, try this one. Beachwood and dragon heartstrings. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."

Danny took the wand and waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try-"

Danny tried-but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.

"No, no-here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."

Danny tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher. The more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he became.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere-

Ash and Unicorn hair, nine inches, nice and supple."

Danny took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and green sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Jazz whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried,

"Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good."

He put Danny's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper. Danny paid for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from the shop.

The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Danny and Jazz made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron. Jazz and Danny made their way to the train that would take them back home.


	2. aboard the Hogwarts express

Danny spent his last month reading through his school books. Everyday his parents were down in the lab working on a new ghost hunting weapon. On the last day of August it was a complete shock to see them at the table with Jazz. Danny had a feeling Jazz had something to do with that. She was the only one they listen to. Danny looks at each person before walking over to Jazz and sitting down. They had a last meal as a Family before Danny and Jazz left for Hogwarts.

Danny wake up at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. He got up and pulled on his jeans. He checked his Hogwarts list yet again to make sure he had everything he needed, and then paced the room, waiting for everyone to get up. Two hours later, Danny and Jazz's huge, heavy trunks had been loaded into the Fenton's RV, Danny sat next to Jazz, and they set off.

They reached Kings Cross station at Ten o'clock. Jack Fenton dumped Danny's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him. They waited a minute for Jazz and Maddie to catch up.

"Have a good term," said his parents and left without another word.

"How do we get onto the platform?"

"You see platform nine and ten?"

"Yes," said Danny as he looks at Jazz.

"All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Oh and Danny, don't use your ghost powers."

"Okay," said Danny.

He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid. He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Danny walked more quickly. He had to will himself not to use his ghost powers-leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run- the barrier was coming nearer and nearer- he wouldn't be able to stop-the cart was out of control-he was a foot away-he closed his eyes ready for the crash-

It didn't come…he kept on running…he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, Eleven o'clock. Danny looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words platform nine and three-quarters on it. He had done it.

"Amazing, isn't it?" said Jazz from next to him.

"Yeah it is"

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Danny pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment. With Jazz's help he got all his stuff in. Danny then turns and looks at her.

"Jazz, you can go sit with your friends, I will be fine."

"Ok, If your sure," said Jazz as she gives Danny a hug and leaves.

It was a few minutes later that Danny heard someone dropping a trunk. He went out and saw a boy his age struggling to get his trunk on the train. Danny went over to him.

"Do you need some help?"

"Yes," Said the boy as he was panting.

"You grab the top, I will get the bottom"

Once the boy had the top Danny and he lifted the trunk. They moved it up a step before it came crashing back down. Danny stumbled and fell over. The trunk was heavier then he thought and he couldn't risk using his ghost powers.

"You guys need some help?" Said, a kid with red hair. He looked to be about Jazz's age.

"Yes, please"

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"

Danny watched someone identical come over. With the twins help, the trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of Danny's compartment.

"Thanks"

Danny saw a lightning scar on the boy's forehead when he brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at the lightning scar.

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you-?"

"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?"

"What?"

"Harry Potter," chorused the twins.

"Oh, him, I mean yes I am"

The two boys gawked at him. Danny was about to say something when a voice came floating in through the train's open door.

"Fred, George? Are you there?"

"Coming, mom"

With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.

Danny and Harry sat down. "I'm Danny by the way"

"Nice to meet you"

A whistle sounded. The train began to move. Houses flashed past the window. Danny felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to- but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind.

The door of the compartment slid open and a young red headed boy came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing to the seat next to Danny. "Everywhere else is full"

Harry and Danny shook their heads and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then quickly looked away, pretending he hadn't looked.

"Hey, Ron"

The twins were back.

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train- Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry," said the other twin, "Did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother." They then face Danny, "And you are?"

"Danny"

"Nice to meet you, See you later than."

"Bye," said Danny, Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.

Harry nodded.

"Oh-well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got-you know…"

He pointed at Harry's forehead.

Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.

"So that's where you-know-who-?"

"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.

"Well- I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."

"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, than, as though he suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked away.

"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry.

"Er- yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"What about you Danny?" asked Harry.

"Both my parents are muggles, but my sister is a witch"

"What are your parents like?" asks Harry.

"Well, there not really around much, and when they are its like I'm completely invisible"

"That sounds rough"

"It is"

"I heard you went to live with muggles," said Ron to Harry. "What are they like?"

"Horrible"

"What is your family like, Ron?" asks Danny

"I have five older brothers and one younger sister. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left- Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. I never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bills old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old Rat"

Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up."

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.

Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Harry went out into the corridor while Danny and Ron stayed where they were. A few minutes later he returned. Ron and Danny stared as he tipped all the candy onto an empty seat.

"Help yourselves," said, Harry.

Danny picked up a pumpkin pasty and took a bite. It was one of the best things he's ever tasted in his life. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron and Harry, eating their way through all the pasties, cakes, and candies.

"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of chocolate frogs. "They're not real frogs, are they?"

"No," said Ron. "But see what card it is. I'm missing Agrippa."

"What?"

"Chocolate frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect- famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred."

Harry unwrapped the chocolate frog and picked up the card. "Hey I've got Dumbledore."

"I've got about six of him," said Ron.

"He's gone!"

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day"

Danny was opening a bag of every flavor beans.

"You want to be careful with those, Ron warned Danny. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor. There's chocolate, peppermint, spinach, liver, and tripe. George reckons he got a booger-flavored one once."

Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.

"Bleaaargh-see? Sprouts."

They had a good time eating the every flavor beans. Danny got chocolate, sardine, curry, marmalade, spinach, pumpkin, pear, and grass. He was even brave enough to nibble on a funny gray one, which turned out to be pepper.

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and a round-faced boy walked in. He looked tearful.

"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn up," said Harry.

"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him…"

He left.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."

The rat was snoozing on Ron's lap.

"I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but it didn't work. I'll show you, look…"

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."

She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.

"Er-all right."

He cleared his throat.

" _Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow_ _,_

Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and its all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard-I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough-I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

She said all of this very fast.

Danny looked at Harry and Ron, and was relieved to see his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Danny Fenton"

"Harry Potter," said Harry.

"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course-I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern magical history and the rise and fall of the dark arts and great wizarding events of the twentieth century."

"Am I?" said Harry.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do any of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds the best, I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad….Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it"

"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.

"Gryffindor, said Ron.

"My sister's in Gryffindor," said Danny. "What do your brothers do now that they've left?"

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts."

Danny found that very interesting. He wanted to know as much as he could about magic.

"What's your quidditch team?" Ron asked.

"I don't know any, Harry and Danny confessed.

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world" And he was off explaining about the game.

The compartment door slid open yet again, this time in was four boys that entered, and Danny only recognized one of them. It was the boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. This time there was nowhere for him to run. Despite being half ghost Danny had a really big fear of the boy standing there.

"Oh, look who it is"

Danny stood up and faced him. "Hello, Dash," said Danny, more calmly than he felt.

Danny had tuned almost everything else that was going on. He caught what everyone's names were. Only when Harry and Ron stand up did he look at them.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you? Malfoy sneered.

"Get out!" Said Danny, harshly.

Everyone stared at Danny for a few seconds before anyone did anything. Danny heard the hand coming, but if he ducked it would end up with Harry or Ron getting hit. When the hand made contact with his cheek he falls to the floor. It was only when they left did Danny look up.

"Are you okay?" asks Harry.

"Yeah"

Danny took the hand that Harry had offered him and got off the floor. The compartment door slid open and Hermione came back.

"Can we help you with something?" said Ron.

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to front to ask the conductor, and he says were nearly there. And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Ron glared at her as she left. Danny looked out the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

He, Harry and Ron pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. The cold air didn't bother Danny at all. A lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students. Danny looked up and saw a giant man with a hairy face. He remembered Jazz saying his name was Hagrid.

"C'mon, follow me"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was dark on either side of them. Nobody spoke much.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.

Danny followed Harry and Ron into a boat.

"Everyone in?" Shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then-forward!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there, is this your toad?"

"Trevor!" Cried Neville blissfully.

They clambered up a passageway after Hagrid's lamp. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.


	3. The Sorting Ceremony

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Danny's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could fit the whole of the Fenton's' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. Danny had never seen anything so incredible in his life.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the stone floor. Danny could hear the drone of hundreds of voices. It was a few minutes later that he saw the door where the rest of the school must be. Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together then they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet with begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber.

Danny tuned everything out as he kept his eyes fixed on the door. Then he shivers and looks up as about twenty ghosts had just streamed through the wall. These were unlike any ghost he's ever seen before. Instead of the normally tangible that he was used to, these ghost were pearly-white and slightly transparent. They glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him another chance"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves. I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know"

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The sorting ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. Danny watched as one by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "And follow me"

Danny got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Harry, then Ron behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so they came to a halt in a line facing the other students with the teachers behind them.

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth-and the hat began to sing:

" _Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

 _But don't judge on what you see,_

 _I'll eat myself if you can find_

 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,_

 _Your top hats sleek and tall,_

 _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

 _And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing hidden in your head_

 _The sorting Hat can't see,_

 _So try me on and I will tell you_

 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_

 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_

 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

 _Where they are just and loyal,_

 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

 _And unafraid of toil;_

 _Or yet in wise Ravenclaw,_

 _If you're a ready mind,_

 _Where those of wit and learning,_

 _Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_

 _You'll make your real friends,_

 _Those cunning folk use any means_

 _To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

 _And don't get in a flap!_

 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

 _For I'm a thinking cap!"_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became still again. Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment pause,

"Hufflepuff!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

"Baxter, Dashel!"

Danny followed Dash with his eyes as he went and sat down.

"Slytherin!"

Dash ran and sat down at the Slytherin table.

"Bones, Susan!"

"Hufflepuff!" shouted the hat, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"Ravenclaw!"

The table second from the left clapped this time as terry joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin.

"Fenton, Daniel!"

Danny slowly made his way up; he put the hat on, and sat down on the stool.

"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, you have great loyalty, your cunning, and don't have a bad mind either. So where should I put you? I know, Gryffindor!

Danny heard the hat shout the last word to the whole Hall. He took off the hat and walked towards the Gryffindor table. Danny sat down at the table and looked down. He saw Jazz at the other end. Danny looks back up to the sorting.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Granger, Hermione!"

"Gryffindor!" shouted the hat. Danny heard Ron groan.

When Neville Longbottom was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "Gryffindor," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "McDougal, Morag."

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called. The hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "Slytherin!"

Malfoy went to join his friends, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now.

"Moon"…, "Nott"…, "Parkinson' …, than a pair of twin girls, "Patil and Patil" …, then "Perks, Sally-Anne" …, and then,

"Potter, Harry"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

Danny watched as the hat Dropped over Harry's eyes. It was a few minutes before the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!"

Harry sat down next to Danny. He hardly noticed that Harry had sat down next to him. Danny was staring at the ghost that had sat down across from him. After everyone was sorted Danny looked away from the ghost.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our Banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Danny looked back down at the table and his mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat at one table. Danny piled his plate with some of the food and began to eat. It was all delicious.

"That does look good," said the ghost across from Danny.

"Can't you?" asks Harry.

"I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you, you're nearly headless Nick"

"I would prefer you call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

"Like this," he said. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Danny was the only one that didn't have a stunned look on his face. Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the deserts appeared.

As Danny helped himself to apple pie, the talk turned to their families.

"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. My dad's a muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

The others laughed.

"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.

"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all-muggle for ages. Nothing happened till I was eight."

"Nothing happed till I was eight either," said Danny

"It must have been a shock when you found out?" asks Harry.

"Not really."

Everyone looked at him waiting for him to go on, but Danny stayed quiet.

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem, just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house team should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year; the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Danny stared at Dumbledore as he heard a few people laugh.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike into words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

" _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

 _Teach us something please,_

 _Whether we me old or bald_

 _Or young with scabby knees,_

 _Our heads could use with filling_

 _With some interesting stuff,_

 _For now they're bare and full of air,_

 _Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

 _So teach us things worth knowing,_

 _Bring back what we've forgot,_

 _Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

 _And learn until our brains all rot."_

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped the loudest.

"Ah, music," he said wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot."

The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the great hall, and up the marble staircase. Danny watched as the people in the portraits along the corridor whispered and pointed as they passed. They climbed more stairs, yawning and dragging their feet, Danny was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.

A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.

"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves, show yourself."

There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.

"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"

He swooped suddenly at them. Everyone ducked except Danny, who gave him a death glare as his eyes flashed green, making Peeves stop in midair.

"Go away" Danny yelled at him.

Peeves stuck out his tongue at everyone else and vanished, dropping the walking sticks. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed.

When Danny turned around everyone was staring at him.

"What?" said Danny.

"How did you get him to listen, usually the Bloody Barren is the only one that can," said Percy.

Danny looks at them and just shrugs his shoulders, not waiting to tell the truth.

At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said.

"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it.

Percy directed the girls through one door to the dormitory and the boys through another. They found their beds, six four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Danny waited for everyone else to get in bed before he pulled on his Pajamas. He then got in bed and fell asleep at once.


	4. First week

From the moment he left the dormitory the next morning ghost started following him everywhere, that's when he knew that they knew he was half ghost. Danny would yell at Peeves whenever he saw him up to no good. He would hang out with Jazz whenever he got the chance, but he was mostly with Harry and Ron.

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Danny was sure the coats of armor could walk.

Once you managed to find them, there were the classes themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as Danny quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes everyWednessday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for.

Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up the next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates.

Professor Flitwick, the charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took roll call, At Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.

Professor McGonagall was again different. Danny had been right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each giving a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson only Hermione Granger made any difference to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile.

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against The Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said to ward off a vampire he met in Romania.

Friday was an important day for Danny, Harry and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once.

"What have we got today?" Danny asks.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he favors them, we'll be able to see if it's true."

"Wish McGonagall favored us." Harry said. Professor McGonagall was Head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.

Just then, the mail arrived. Danny had gotten used to this by now, but it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, because of his ghost powers he didn't feel the difference. It was creepy down here, and smelled horrible to Danny.

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter, Our new celebrity"

Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Dash sniggered behind their hands. Danny gave them a hard glare before looking back to the front of the class. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black, cold, and empty, and made you think of dark tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. Like professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death, if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Danny looked at Ron then to Harry, they both looked as stumped as he was; Hermione's hand had shot into the air.

"I don't know, sir," said Harry.

Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut- fame clearly isn't everything"

He ignored Hermione's hand.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

"I don't know, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter"

Danny's anger towards Snape was growing. He hated how Snape was treating Harry. He had to force himself not to react, if he did Harry might get into trouble and he didn't want that.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching towards the ceiling.

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "and a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

Things didn't improve for the Grffindors as the potion lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horn slugs when clouds of acid smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's caldron into a twisted blob. Within seconds the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with his wand. "I suppose you added the quills before taking the caldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop.

"Take him up to the hospital wing." Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.

"You-Potter-why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

Danny thought that was really unfair. He was about to say something but decided against it.

As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, Danny's mind was racing. He officially hated Snape.

"Danny?"

"Huh?" said Danny. He hadn't been paying attention to what was going on around him.

"Want to come meet Hagrid with us?" Harry asked.

"Sure" said Danny.

At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.

When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "back, Fang-back."

Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling; a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started liking his ears.

"This is Ron and Danny," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles.

Danny looks over at Hagrid; he hadn't said a word since they got there. Talking with people wasn't one of his strengths because of how he grew up. He also has a hard time trusting people.

"So Danny, tell us something about you," said Hagrid.

"Nothing really to tell, I move from America when I was seven, went to school, came here."

"What about friends" asks Harry.

"Never had any," said Danny.

"Well, you do now," said Ron.

Danny smiled. "I just remembered I promised to meet Jazz, see you at dinner."

He made his way up to the castle and looked for Jazz. Danny found her in the library. She was sitting at a table alone. He was glad she was alone. Danny made his way over to her and sat down across from her.

"Hey Sis"

Jazz put down the book and smiled. The smile fell off her face when she saw the look on his face.

"What's wrong? Is it Dash? Did he hurt you?" Jazz said all of this very fast.

"Calm down, it's nothing like that, but Dash is part of the problem, Every time I see him, it just reminds me what he did all those years."

"And, the other part?"

"What if people find out, then they will hate me"

"They won't hate you; you'll find a way to trust people here"

"I hope your right."

Danny stayed talking to Jazz quietly until it was time for them to head down to the Great Hall for dinner.


	5. Midnight

First-year Gryffindors only had potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to put up with Dash and Malfoy much. Or at least, they didn't until they spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday-and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

"Typical," said Harry darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

"You won't," said Danny.

"I know Malfoy's always going on about good he is at quidditch, but I bet that's all talk," said Ron.

Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always ended with him narrowly escaping muggles in helicopters. He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly.

Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother hadn't let him near one. Privately, Danny felt she'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.

Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This was something you couldn't learn from a book-not that she hadn't tried. At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with flying tips. Everyone was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mall.

Danny hadn't had a single letter, something that Dash had been quick to notice, of course. Dash's barn owl was always bringing him something from home.

A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forgot things-this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and it turns red-oh…" His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "…you've forgotten something…"

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table with his friends, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet, while Danny calming walked over to Malfoy and stood in front of him.

"Give it back"

Before anyone said anything else, Professor McGonagall was there.

"What's going on?"

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, professor."

Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.

"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with his friends.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Danny, Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were about twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Danny remembered how Jazz complained about the School broomsticks.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Danny stood by a broom next to Harry.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!"

"UP!" everyone shouted.

Danny's broom jumped into his hand at once, but it was one of the few that did. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. There was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep both feet on the ground.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. One my whistle, three, two,"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle, twelve feet, twenty feet.

Danny was trying his hardest not to fly up and get him. If he did that he would have a lot of questions to answer. He clenched both his hands in first as He watched Neville start to fall. When he landed, Danny winced at the sound of bone breaking.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face white.

"Broken wrist," Danny heard her say. "Come on, boy, it's all right, up you get."

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up Malfoy," Snapped Parvati.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little cry babies, Parvati."

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.

Malfoy smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find, how about, up a tree?"

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom.

"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move, you'll get us all in trouble."

He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared. Danny watched Harry and Malfoy from the ground and listened to everything that was being said.

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy.

Danny watched as Harry shot towards Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time.

"No Crabbe, Goyle and Dash up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.

"Catch it if you can, then!" Malfoy shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back towards the ground.

Danny watched as Harry shot after it and caught it a foot from the ground. He then toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall safely in his first.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Professor McGonagall was running towards them.

"Never-in all my time at Hogwarts"

Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "how dare you, might have broken your neck"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil"

"But Malfoy"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."

Danny caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Dashes's triumphant faces as Harry left with Professor McGonagall. He hoped he wouldn't get in to much trouble. Danny didn't want to lose one of the two friends he had made.

"Danny, you ok?" Ron asks.

"They're not going to expel him are they?" Danny asked worried.

"Don't worry I'm sure he'll be fine"

"Oh, he's getting expelled for sure," says dash nastily.

Danny turns around quickly and faces Dash. He looks up at dash and seeing the look on his face was making him angry.

"No he's not" Danny yells at Dash.

"How dare you speak to me like that" says Dash as he takes a step towards him.

"I will talk to you anyway I want," said Danny angrily.

Dash then threw his first towards Danny but he caught it. He then forced Dash back a few feet. Once Danny let go of Dash he turned around and left. He walked to the edge of the forbidden forest to try and calm down. Making sure no one was around he turns invisible. While invisible he floats in the air to calm down. It felt so good to Danny to use his ghost powers. After he calmed down he landed and became visible. Danny then headed to the Great Hall for dinner.

Once there he took a seat. Harry and Ron weren't there yet. A few minutes later they walked in a sat down.

"You didn't get into trouble did you?" Danny asks Harry.

"No, I was made a seeker," said Harry.

"You're joking," said Ron. "But first years never-you must be the youngest house player in about-"

"-a century," said Harry. "Wood told me"

Ron was so amazed, so impressed; he just sat there and gaped at Harry.

"I start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

"I won't tell anyone," said Danny.

Fred and George Weasley now came in the Hall, spotted them and hurried over.

"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too-beaters"

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year, said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go; Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school"

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Dash.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the muggles?"

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. There was of course nothing little about Crabbe, Goyle, and Dash, but as the high table was full of teachers; no one could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.

"I'd take you anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only-no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a Wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

Malfoy looked at Crabbe, Goyle, and Dash, sizing them up.

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

When Malfoy had gone, Ron, Harry and Danny looked at each other.

"What's a wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually. Catching the look on Harry and Danny's faces, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you know enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested.

Danny laughed at that.

"Excuse me."

Danny stopped laughing and everyone looked up. It was Hermione Granger.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.

Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.

"I couldn't help but overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying-"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"-and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if your caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.

"Good-bye," said Ron.

All the same, it wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day, Danny thought, as he lay awake much later listening to Dean and Seamus falling asleep (Neville wasn't back from the hospital wing). Danny had listened all evening to Ron giving Harry advice such as "If he tries to curse you, you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them." There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Flitch and Mrs. Norris, but getting the sneering expressions off Malfoy and his friend's faces would be worth it.

"Half-past eleven," Ron muttered at last, "We'd better go."

They pulled on their bathrobes, picked up their wands, and crept across the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. They had almost reached the portrait hole when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."

A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown.

"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy-he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

"Come on," Harry said to Ron and Danny. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and they climbed through the hole.

Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through the Portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about switching spells"

"Go away."

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so-"

But what they were, they didn't find out. Hermione had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a night time visit and Hermione was locked out of Gryffindor tower.

"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go; we're going to be late."

They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them.

"I'm coming with you," she said.

"You are not."

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Flitch to catch me? If he finds all of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up."

"You've got some nerve" said Ron loudly.

"Shut up, both of you!" said Danny sharply. "I heard something"

The others looked at him. By the look on their faces he could tell that they hadn't heard it. It was a few minutes before they all heard it. It was a sort of snuffling.

"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, Squinting through the dark.

It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville. He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours; I couldn't remember the new password to get into bed."

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The passwords 'pig snout' but it won't help you know, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."

"How's your arm?" said Danny.

"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good-well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later-"

"Don't leave me! Said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Ron looked at his watch and then glanced furiously at Hermione and Neville.

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.

They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn Danny expected to into Flitch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.

Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room.

Danny then heard a noise in the next room before anyone else did. It was Flitch talking to Mrs. Norris.

"Flitch is here," he whispered to the others.

Danny waved madly at the others to follow him as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Flitch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped around the corner when they heard Flitch enter the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."

"This way!" Harry mouthed to the others, and they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Flitch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run-he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armor.

The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

"Run! Harry yelled, and the five of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Flitch was following-they swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Danny in the lead, without any idea where they were or where they were going-they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and come out near their charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering.

"I-told-you," Hermione gasped, clutching a stitch in her chest, "I-told-you."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "Quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you-Flitch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

No one said a word for a few minutes.

"Let's go," said Harry.

It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.

It was Peeves. He caught site of them and gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, Peeves-please-you'll get us thrown out."

Peeves cackled.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."

"Should tell Flitch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves-this was a big mistake.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED! Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door-and it was locked.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!"

They could hear footsteps, Flitch running as fast as he could toward Peeve's shouts.

"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, "Alohomora!"

The lock clicked and the door swung open-and they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.

"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Flitch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please.'"

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right-please."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Flitch cursing in rage.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered.

"It was locked," said Danny as he turns around. "And for a good reason."

They weren't in a room, but in the forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.

They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous three headed dog. They got out of there as quickly as they could and ran all the way back to the Portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Where on earth have you been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.

"Never mind that-pig snout, pig snout," Panted Harry, and the portrait swung open. They scrambled into the common room and everyone but Danny collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.

It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally.

Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again.

"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet; I was too busy with its heads."

"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."

She stood up, glaring at them.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed-or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind. I'm going to bed."

Ron stared after her, his mouth open.

"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you?"

But Hermione had given Danny something else to think about as he climbed back into bed. The dog was guarding something.


	6. Halloween

By the next morning Harry, Ron, and Danny thought that meeting the three headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen to have another one. In the meantime, Harry filled Danny and Ron in about the package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron

"Or both," said Danny.

They didn't have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues.

Neither Neville nor Hermione showed the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. All Neville cared about was never going near that dog again.

Hermione was now refusing to talk to them, but she was such a bossy know-it-all that they saw this as an added bonus. All they really wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and to their great delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.

As the owl's flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. Danny was just as interesting as everyone else to see what was in the parcel, and watched as the owls soared down and drop it right in front of Harry. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel. Harry ripped open the letter.

"What does it say?" said Danny eagerly.

Harry handed the letter to Danny. The letter said:

DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.

It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everyone knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session.

 _Professor M. McGonagall_

Danny handed the note to Ron when he was finished reading it.

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one."

They left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe, Goyle, and dash. Malfoy seized the package from Harry and felt it.

"Hey, give it back," said Danny.

Malfoy just acted like he didn't say anything.

"That's a broomstick," said Malfoy, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."

"It's not any old broomstick," said Ron. "It's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two sixty? Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

Danny was really impressed with how much Ron knew about broomsticks.

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

Danny was about to defend Ron, but before he could say anything, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.

"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked.

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, professor," said Malfoy quickly.

"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir," said Harry.

Danny was trying really hard not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face.

"It's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," he added.

Danny headed upstairs with Harry and Ron, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion.

"Well, it's true," Harry chortled as they reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team…."

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking the rules?" came an angry voice from behind them. Hermione was stomping up the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hand.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.

"Yes, don't stop now;" said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."

Hermione marched away with her nose in the air.

After a long day of classes, Danny ate his dinner, and then ran upstairs with Harry and Ron. Danny kneeled on the floor as Harry unwrapped the Nimbus Two Thousand.

"Wow," Ron sighed, as the broomstick rolled onto Harry's bedspread.

Even Danny, who knew nothing about the different brooms, thought it looked wonderful. Sleek and shinny, with a mahogany handle, it had a long tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top.

As seven o'clock drew nearer, Harry left the castle leaving Danny and Ron in the common room. It was a while before either of them said anything.

"Danny, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"You seem to really hate dash, I mean more than just a rivalry, what I am asking is how come?"

Danny closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," said Ron quickly.

"It's ok, I want to tell you. As you know, I moved from America when I was seven. I started school a week later. That's where I met Dash."

"But I thought he was pureblood," said Ron.

"No, he's muggleborn or at least half blood," said Danny. "So, where was I?"

"You just said you met Dash at school."

"Right, so from the moment I met him he started to bully me. At first it was just with words, but then things started to get worse. I would end up with bruises everyday because of him. He also made it impossible to make any friends. He made my life there hell. When I found out about Hogwarts, I thought I would never have to see him again. Turns out I was wrong."

"He sounds worse than I thought," said Ron.

"Now, you see why I hate him so much?" said Danny.

"Yes, and I don't blame you, he really treated you like hell, he still does" said Ron.

"The difference is I have friends now"

Danny could hardly believe it when he realized that he'd already been at Hogwarts two months. The castle felt more like home then he ever had at home. His lessons, too, were becoming more and more interesting now that they had mastered the basics.

On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Danny's partner was Dean Tomas. Harry was with Seamus. Ron was to be working with Hermione Granger. It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this.

"Now, don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important."

It was very difficult. Danny and Dean swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop. Danny looked at Harry and Ron's tables and saw that they weren't having much luck either. He saw Seamus catch his feather on fire, harry putting it out with his hat. Danny then looked over to Ron's table.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong," Danny heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly."

Someone knocked into Danny as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. Danny caught a glimpse of her face- and was startled to see that she was in tears.

"I think she heard you," said Danny.

"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, they overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out of their minds.

A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low block clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.

Danny was just helping himself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reach Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll- in the dungeons- thought you ought to know."

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence. Danny covered his ears at the noise from the firecrackers hurt his ears because of his sensitive hearing. When the noise subsided he removed his hands and looked at Dumbledore.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your house back to the dormitories immediately!"

Percy was in his element.

"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

"How could a troll get in?" Danny asked as they climbed the stairs.

"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."

They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions. As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Danny suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.

"I've just thought- Hermione."

"What about her?"

"She doesn't know about the troll," said Harry.

Ron bit his lip.

"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."

Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them.

"Percy!" hissed Ron, Pulling Harry and Danny behind a large stone griffin. Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.

"What's he doing," Danny said.

"And why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?" said Harry.

"Search me."

Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.

"Can you smell something?" said Danny.

It was a few minutes before Harry and Ron could smell it, and then they heard it- a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed-at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving towards them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.

It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.

"The key's in the lock," Danny muttered.

"We could lock it in," Harry added.

"Good idea," said Ron nervously.

Harry and Ron edged toward the open door with Danny close behind, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Harry who was closest managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.

"Yes!"

Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts stop-a high, petrified scream-and it was coming from the chamber they just chained up. Without thinking twice about what he was doing, Danny ran towards the door and without stopping fazed right through it.

Hermione was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her. Danny ran and blocked her from the troll. As soon as he got in front of her, the troll started to bring his club down. Without thinking he used his ghost powers to form a strong shield. The club bounced off and hit the wall.

"How are you doing that?"

"I'll explain later"

Danny's shield was still up when Harry and Ron came in. The troll was smashing his club trying to break it. They stared at Danny in shock. A small crack then appeared on his shield.

"Do something!" He yelled.

"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and advanced towards Ron.

Danny lowered his shield. "Come on, run, run!" Danny yelled at Hermione, trying to get her to the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall in terror.

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started towards Ron.

Harry then jumped on the troll and stuck his wand up one of the troll's nostrils.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and failed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club. Danny, using more of his ghost powers flew up to try and get Harry. After avoiding getting hit twice, Danny got caught on his side with the club and fell to the ground.

Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his wand and yelled the first spell that came to his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly- and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done. Danny was getting to his feet like he hadn't just got hit by the club.

It was Hermione who spoke first.

"Is it-dead?"

"It's just been knocked out," said Danny.

Harry bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue.

"Urgh- troll boogers."

He whipped it on the troll's trousers.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape; with Quirrell bring up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Danny, Harry, and Ron. Danny had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold furry in her voice. Danny opened his mouth then closed it, not being able to come up with anything to say. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Danny shifted from foot to foot nervously. He looked at Ron wishing he would put his wand down.

Then a small voice came out of the shadows.

"Please, Professor McGonagall- they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!

Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.

"I went looking for the troll because I- I thought I could deal with it on my own- you know, because I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher?

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up his nose, Danny kept it away from me, and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

Danny, Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.

"Well-in that case…" said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head. Danny was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione left.

Professor McGonagall turned to Danny, Harry and Ron.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else.

"We should have gotten more than fifteen points," Ron grumbled.

"Ten, you mean, once she's taking off Hermione's," said Harry.

"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her."

"She might not having needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her," Harry reminded him.

Danny was quiet the whole way to the common room, just listening to Harry and Ron talk. He knew he was going to have to tell them about his ghost powers. He was nervous how they would treat him once they found out.

"Danny, You ok," said Harry.

"Yes"

They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Pig snout," they said and entered.

The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried of to get plates.

But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.

It was hours later and everyone but Danny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gone to bed. Danny turned to the others and said "I owe you an explanation of how I could do what I did" He then takes a deep breath. "But first promise me something"

"Anything," all three say.

"You have to promise you won't tell anyone"

"We won't tell anyone"

Danny walked over to a table by the window. The others followed him.

"I've never told anyone this story before, the only person that knows is Jazz. I guess I should start with my parents. My parents are ghost Hunters"

"Why would anyone hunt ghost, they can't hurt you," said Ron

"My parents hate ghost, I never found out why. But asking them is like talking to a wall, they never listen. The town I live in is full of ghost and not the intangible kind you see here, they are tangible and can be touched. My parents always say ghost are evil, but I know that's not true. I try so hard to convince them of that but it's no use," Danny takes a breath before continuing. "So, years before the ghost starting showing up, my parents were obsessed with making a ghost portal to the Ghost Zone. I remember them talking about ghost for as long as I can remember; it's all they talked about. When I was eight, they finally finished the portal but it didn't work. Curiosity got the better of me, I wondered downstairs to see if I could do something to make it work. I went into the portal. It was dark, so I used my hand to guide myself. My hand then hit something. It was a button, the on button; my parents put the on switch on the inside. As soon as I pressed it I felt the worst hind of pain imaginable. I was infused with ectoplasm and my DNA was rearranged. At some point I passed out. When I woke up I was out of the portal and it was working, but that wasn't the only thing that was different. I had snow white hair, glowing green eyes, I could walk through walls, and fly."

"You have ghost powers," said Harry

"It's more than that; I was turned into half ghost"

"You would have to have to half die for that to happen," said Hermione

"I did"

"I thought you said your eyes were green and your hair white, how come they are blue and your hair black," said Ron

"I can switch between a ghost form and human form at will"

"I want to see," said Ron eagerly.

"I do too," both Harry and Hermione added.

Danny stood up. He raised his hands above his head and said "going ghost" a white ring appeared at his waist, split in two, one going up the other going down, once both rings had disappeared he was in his ghost form with a smile on his face. He always felt free when he was in his ghost form.

"Is that really you, Danny?"

"Sure is," Danny said with an eco to his voice.

"So what do you guys think?"

"I think it's awesome that you have ghost powers," said Harry and Ron together.

"You don't think I am a freak?"

"We would never think that," all three said

Later Danny lay in his bed feeling more happy then he had in a long time. He was so glad that his friends accepted him for who he is. That was the last thought he had before falling asleep.


	7. quidditch

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting the broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beverskin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun; On Saturday was the first match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship. Danny was very excited to see the Quidditch game.

Since becoming friends with Hermione and telling them about his ghost powers, Danny had become more relaxed. Even Dashes bullying him didn't bother him as much anymore. When his bullying got bad his friends were always there to back him up.

Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since they saved her from the mountain troll, and she was much nicer for it. The day before the first Quidditch match the four of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. Danny wasn't standing as close to it as the others were. Being to close was making him to hot. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were standing close to it to get warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Danny noticed that he was limping. Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view. Danny just watched Snape. Something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"

It was Quidditch through the ages.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Danny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Harry and Ron's charms homework for them. Once Danny applied himself to school he realized he was almost as good at Hermione.

"I'm going to see if I can get the book back from Snape," said Harry as he got to his feet.

"Better you than me," both Hermione and Ron said.

Danny stood up and said "I am coming with you"

They made their way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer. They knocked again. Nothing.

"Maybe Snape left the book in there," said Danny.

"It's worth a try," said Harry.

Harry pushed the door ajar and peered inside- and a horrible scene met their eyes.

Snape and Flich were inside, alone. Snape was holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.

"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Danny and Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but-

"POTTER! FENTON!"

Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Danny took a step back and Harry gulped.

"I just wondered if I could have my book back."

"GET OUT! OUT!"

Harry and Danny left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. They sprinted back upstairs.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry and Danny joined them. "What's the matter?"

In a low whisper, Harry and Danny told them what they'd seen.

"You know what this means," Harry finished breathlessly.

"He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him," added Danny.

"He's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!" said Harry.

Hermione's eyes were wide.

"No-he wouldn't," she said "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry; I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

Danny went to bed with his head buzzing with the same questions. Neville was snoring loudly. He tried to empty his mind, but the expression on Snape's face wasn't easy to forget.

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"You've got to eat some breakfast," said Danny to Harry.

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.

"I'm not hungry."

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry.

By eleven O'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Danny, Ron, and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors.

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. Danny notice she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherins.

"Mount your brooms, please."

All the players mounted their brooms.

Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor-what an excellent chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too-"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good friend of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve-back to Johnson and- no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes-flint flying like an eagle up there-he's going to sc-no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindor's take the Quaffle-that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, Off up the field and-OUCH-that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bluger-Quaffle taken by the Slytherins-that's Adrian Pucey speeding off towards the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bluger-sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which-nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes-she's really flying-dodges a speeding Bluger-the goal posts are ahead-come on, now, Angelina-Keeper Bletchley dives-misses-GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!"

Ron and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron.

"Harry hasn't had much to do yet," said Danny.

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.

Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the snitch. When Angelina had scored, Harry had done a couple of loop-the-loops. Now he was back to staring around for the snitch. Once a Bludger decided to come pelting his way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Harry dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and chaser bell, and speeds toward the-wait a moment-was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle; too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

Harry dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch- all the chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.

WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindor's below- Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindor's.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal post for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight.

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So-after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-"

"Jordan!" growled professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that revolting foul"

"Jordan, I'm warning you"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

It was as Harry dodged another Bludger, that it happened. Danny watched his broom give a sudden lurch. For a split second, Danny thought Harry was going to fall. It then happened again.

Lee was still commenting but Danny wasn't listening anymore. He kept his focus on Harry. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with one hand.

Danny looked around, noticing that everybody was focused on Harry, he turned invisible. But before he could do anything Hermione spoke up.

"Danny don't"

Those words made him reappear and look at Hermione.

"What do we do?"

"Leave it to me"

With that Hermione got up and had disappeared into the crowd. . Danny kept his eyes on Harry. The whole crowd was now on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good. Marcus Flint scored five times without anyone noticing. Whatever Hermione had done seemed to have worked. Danny saw Harry regain control of his broom. He then let out a breath of relief. Harry was speeding towards the ground when Danny saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick. He hit the field on all fours and coughed. Danny saw something gold fall into his hands.

"I've got the snitch," Harry yelled and the game ended in complete confusion.

"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it!" Flint was yelling.

"Flints doesn't sound to happy," said Danny

No one seemed to hear him as they were to busy cheering. Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Danny could still hear everything clearly back at Hagrid's hut.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining.

"Rubbish," said Hagrid.

Danny was only half paying attention.

"Danny?" Hagrid asked and he looks at him.

"Yeah?" Danny answered.

"You ok, you seem very quiet."

"It's nothing, I'm fine. I have to go."

Danny stood up and left before anyone said anything. He was slowly walking back towards the castle. 'What is wrong with me' Danny couldn't help thinking. 'I fight ghost so why is it so hard for me to talk to people.'

"Hey Fenton."

"Oh no," Danny says quietly as he looks up.

Standing in front of him was Dash, he looked very angry.

"What do you want Dash?"

"You're going to pay for that loss," said Dash

"You're never going to change."

That seemed to make Dash even angrier. He dove for Danny trying to punch him. Danny stepped to the side causing dash to fall to the ground. Dash got up and kept trying to punch him.

"Why don't you just stay still?"

"So you can hit me? No thanks," said Danny

Danny was getting tired of dodging dash. He wished he would give up already. Finally after five more minutes he finally gave up.

"This isn't over," said Dash as he stormed away.

By the time he left Harry, Ron and Hermione had come.

"Hey Danny"

"Hi guys"

"Was that Dash?" Ron asks

"Yeah," said Danny "How was Hagrid's"

The tree of them filled Danny in on what they found out at Hagrid's.

"Let me get this straight, the three headed dog has a name, is guarding something for Dumbledore and someone named Nicolas Flamel," said Danny

The three of them nodded.

"But who is he?"

"We don't know, but I am going to find out," said Hermione.


	8. home

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around. No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and great hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. But none of that bothered Danny at all.

"Aren't you cold?" Ron asked Danny one potions class.

"One of the benefits of having ghost powers, the cold doesn't bother me," said Danny quietly so only Ron could hear him.

"I do feel so sorry for the people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home," said Malfoy from across the room.

Danny would be going home for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry and the Weasleys had signed up. When they left the dungeons at the end of potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you move out of the way," came Malfoy's cold voice from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be a gamekeeper yourself, that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what you're used to."

Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.

"Fighting is against Hogwarts rules, five points from Gryffindor and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

Malfoy and his friends pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.

"I'll get him," said Ron grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back. "One of these days I'll get him."

"I hate people like that," said Danny

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell you what, come with me an' see the great hall, looks a treat."

So the four of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, Where professor McGonagall and professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree, put it in the far corner would you?"

The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hug all around the walls, and no less then twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"How many days you got left until yer holiday?" Hagrid asked.

"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me, we should be in the Library."

Danny's arm suddenly turned invisible for a second. Luckily no one saw it. He knew it was happening because he hadn't been using his ghost powers. He made an excuse to get away. After getting away Danny slips into a broom closet and transformed. He then turns intangible and flies out of the castle. Danny then flies to the very edge of the Forbidden Forest. Once he is sure no one is there he practice's his powers, not all of them but the basic ones. After he is done practicing he just flies around. When some of the muggleborns see him they cheer. Danny is his happiest when he's flying. After a while he lands behind Hagrid's hut and transforms back. Danny then heads back into the castle and heads into the Great Hall. Lunch had started a few minutes ago. He goes and joins Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the table.

"Find anything?" Danny asks.

"No, but we will," said Hermione. "You'll keep looking while we're away?" she said turning to Harry and Ron.

"Of course," Harry said.

Once the Holidays started Danny spent a lot of his time outside of the house. There would be the occasional ghost attack, but Danny took care of it easily. He was currently in his room pacing back and forth. He was considering telling his parents about his ghost powers, but he was terrified that they won't take it well. After a few minutes he took a deep breath and went downstairs. Both his parents were sitting at the kitchen table.

"Mom? Dad?"

His parents stopped what they were doing and looked up at Danny.

"What is it sweetie?" Maddie Fenton asked.

"I have to tell you something, I should have told you a long time ago and I'm sorry I didn't." Taking a deep breath Danny continues speaking. "The accident with the ghost portal didn't just shock me; it infused my DNA with ectoplasm."

"What are you saying," said Maddie.

"It will be easier if I just show you," said Danny.

Taking a deep breath Danny transforms into his ghost half. Seeing his parents shocked expression he quickly changes back. He then looks at the floor not speaking. After a few minutes his parents do something that he wasn't expecting, they both give him a hug. After they release him Danny looks at his parents. He didn't see any anger in their faces and that confused him.

"I don't understand, I lied to you for a very long time how can you not be angry. If I was you guys I'd be furious."

"Well, of course you lied to us. We never gave you a reason not to," said Maddie.

"All this time we've been yammering about destroying and dissecting ghost," said Jack Fenton putting a hand on Danny's shoulder. "I'd be terrified too, if I were you."

"We love you, sweetie. You," said Maddie.

"Whether your ghost, boy, or something in between," said Jack.

"And I appreciate that." Danny hugs Jack. "More then you guys will ever know."

Maddie hugs them both. Once they break free of the hug Danny has a big smile on his face. Telling them made him feel so much better. He then joined them at the table as they were just talking about random things then the subject of School came up.

"So how do you like school," Maddie asks.

"It's good, I've made some friends. Most of the teachers are nice."

"Tell us about your friends," said Jack

"There's Harry, he's famous for surviving the killing curse at a year old, and he lives with his aunt and uncle. Hermione is a muggleborn she's really smart. She reminds me a little of Jazz, Then there's Ron, he has six siblings, three of them are currently at Hogwarts"

Maddie and Jack smile at Danny.

"Sounds like you've made so good friends," Said Maddie.

"Do they know?" asked Jack.

"Yes"

By Christmas Danny was feeling happier than he had ever been on Christmas. It was the first time his parents didn't have the Santa fight. Luckily there Christmas dinner didn't come alive. Before he knew it, it was almost time to go back to school. While he was packing his stuff Danny's ghost sense went off.

"Going ghost," Danny shouted as he transformed.

He then flew out his window. After a minute of flying a ghost ray came towards him. Danny manages to dodge it.

"Whelp"

"Skulker, What do you want?"

"For your pelt to adorn my fireplace"

"After three years that's still gross," said Danny.

He then fired an ecto blast and through it towards skulker, who dodge it. Skulker then fired three missiles from his suit at Danny. He manages to dodge two but the third hits his shoulder. Skulker then flies towards him ready to attack him. Danny puts his hands up and freezes skulker. He then uncaps the thermos and sucks him in. Once Danny puts the cap back on he flies back home. Once in his room he changed back. He looked at his clock and saw it was 12:00. Danny shuts his window and goes to bed. The next morning he was being shaking awake by Jazz. Danny slowly opened his eyes.

"Wake up we're going to be late"

"I'm up"

"We're leaving for kings cross in 15 minutes," said Jazz as she left his room.

Danny got up and quickly dressed, dragged his trunk into their car. Once at kings cross he hugged both his parents then went through the barrier between platform 9 and 10, leaving the muggle world behind.


End file.
